By design, dogs, and other animals with toes, engage their toenails to gain traction. When slipping or sliding, dogs will flex their paws and engage their toenails to prevent falling. This design is perfect for acquiring traction on earthen terrain. However, on hard-surface flooring, the engagement of the toenails results in more slippage and causes the animal to lose stability, potentially leading to slip-and-fall injuries.
Currently there exist in the art various toenail covers, paw covers, and paw pad adhesives for animals. However, the prior art has failed to disclose or teach a tubular member removably securable about the tip and long mid-portion of an animal's toenail, the tubular member constructed of a flexible, returnably-resilient material having superior non-slip or gripping characteristics as taught by the present application.
Accordingly, a need exists for an animal toenail grip removably attachable about the caudodistal edge of the nail tip and the long mid-portion of an animal's toenail, wherein such grip provides an animal with traction on slippery and/or hard surfaces. The present invention provides a vehicle to increase the coefficient of friction between the nail tip and the surface of the floor. Therefore, the development of the animal nail grip of the present invention fulfills the aforementioned need.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related: U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,029 B2 issued in the name of Kuzur; U.S. Pat. No. D329,928 issued in the name of Wexler; U.S. Patent Application No. 2009/0229538 A1 published in the name of Friedland; U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,731 issued in the name of Wexler; U.S. Pat. No. D564,713 issued in the name of Wexler; U.S. Pat. No. D560,317 issued in the name of Townsend; U.S. Pat. No. 7,703,419 B1 issued in the name of Wexler; U.S. Pat. No. 7,069,879 B1 issued in the name of Wexler; U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,033 B1 issued in the name of Fleming; and U.S. Patent Application No. 2007/0089691 A1 published in the name of Hendy.
Consequently, a need has been felt for an animal nail grip having superior gripping characteristics. This application presents claims and embodiments that fulfill a need or needs not yet satisfied by the products, inventions and methods previously or presently available. In particular, the claims and embodiments disclosed herein describe an animal nail grip comprising: an annulus comprising an elongated, tubular member; the tubular member comprising an elongated body having an open upper end, an open lower end, and a hollow interior defined as a nail receiving cavity; the body further comprising an external circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface; the inner circumferential surface being a circular boundary defining the nail receiving cavity; the nail receiving cavity defines a diameter measuring less than the smallest diametric measure of the external circumferential grip seating position of the nails of an animal; the open upper end of the body of tubular member is in open, direct, fluid communication with the open lower end thereof; the tubular member is constructed of a flexible, returnably-resilient material having superior non-slip or gripping characteristics, and wherein the tubular member being removably held to the nail of an animal via mechanical interference; the animal nail grip providing unanticipated and nonobvious combination of features distinguished from the products, inventions and methods preexisting in the art.
For many animals with neurologic and/or musculoskeletal abnormalities, fear becomes a life-altering factor. This fear is heightened on hard-surface flooring. Animals with neurologic and/or musculoskeletal abnormalities tend to lack confident mobility and typically choose to avoid hard-surface floors, or unnaturally compensate on them, resulting in altered gait and/or behavioral problems. The present invention improves the stability of animals while standing and moving, and diminishes the emotional stress animals experience from lack of traction on hard-surface flooring and other slick or slippery surfaces.
Animals affected with certain neurologic and/or musculoskeletal conditions tend to compensate for their disabilities by altering their gait, posture and/or stance. Proprioception is the ability to sense the relative position and location and orientation and movement of the body and its parts, in relation to each other and the environment. Proprioception is based on a multi-component sensory system. Proprioceptive deficits in animals cause abnormal body movements or positions due to lack of normal perception. Loss of proprioception can cause abnormal placement reactions in the limbs, abnormal limb position at rest, such as legs crossed or paws turned under, and abnormal wearing of the toenails. Loss of proprioception is a nonspecific indication of neurologic disease. General causes of proprioceptive deficits include, but are not limited to, cerebral diseases, cerebellar diseases, disorders of the thalamus, disorders of the brain stem, disorders of the spinal cord, and disorders of the peripheral nerves. Abnormal limb posture at rest, such as limbs crossed over or turned under, abnormal wearing of the toenails, partial loss of movement of the limbs or a limb, paralysis, incoordination, and ataxia are all conditions that may indicate proprioceptive deficits.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method to provide proprioceptive stimuli in animals. The development of the animal toenail grip of the present invention fulfills this need.
Applicants are unaware of any product, method, device or reference that discloses the features of the claims and embodiments disclosed herein.